Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/320

 296 ENGLISH MEDIEVAL EMBROIDERY. verley, and gifts of cloth of gold to the church of St. George at Orcheston, and to the feretory of St. Richard at Cirencester. The Issue Rolls of the Exchequer furnish almost innumerable entries illustrative of the practice. Perhaps not the least cha- racteristic evidence of these expensive and superstitious usages, is to be seen in a payment made by William of Wykeham to the clerk of a canon of York for a vestment Avhich is stated to have belonged to St. Peter the Apostle. Yet copious as all this class of records are in supplying illustrations of the pre- valent use of embroidery during the middle ages, the ancient wills and inventories yield a still larger amount of information on the subject. The anxiety evinced by all classes to be buried vv^ith the honour and respect due to their stations is strikingly shewn by the language of their testaments, though this anxiety is not more apparent than the impressive manner in which these documents recite the belief of the testator, who usually pre- faced the disposition of his property by an acknowledgment of his faith in the blessed Trinity. There is an edifying solemnity, nay, a heartfelt piety in the manner by which the priesthood and laity alike expressed their Christian hopes, and it is impossible to read the last record they made of their sincere conviction without perceiving how deeply they were impressed with a sense of inward devotion. The utterance of such sentiments in our own day would be at least one sign of piety that we need not fear to borrow from the professions of our ancestors. Commencing with the recital of his faith, the testator usually proceeded to mention in what part of the church he wished to be buried ; then followed his bequests to the church itself, either to a portion of the fabric, or for its restor- ation ; to those institutions, eleemosynary or monastic, which are founded to the honour of God ; to holy fraternities, anni- versaries for the health of his soul, decorations or lights for the high altar, alms for the poor on the day of interment, conse- crated vestments, sacred utensils, payments for tithes forgotten, or for deeds of restitution. A few extracts from these ancient wills will suitably close the present paper. At the obsequies of lIugliPudsey,who died bishop of Durham, 1195, the Church'' apj)ointcd horses to bring his body from his manor of Howden where he expired, to the city of Durham, '■ William dc Karilc])lK), fii'st bishop other oniaiiR'nts left several embroidered J)inliam, ulin died ]'.>'>, amongst vcstiiunts to the chiiieh.